To clean neighbours’ kitchen

[novocaned]

WWYD my neighbour has gone on hol and we’re feeding their cats. They’ve left a full bin, food mess on counters and a sink of dishes. It’s boiling here and there are loads of flies in their kitchen. AIBU to empty and clean the bin, clean surfaces and do the washing up? Will they feel judged? I would want them to do it if it were me rather than come home to house of flies and maggots.

Why would you expect them to?

Um, I didn't say I'd expect them to.

thank god you did this. My dog left some chicken today and I didn’t even see a fly but was just about to put it in the fridge and saw that it already had about 3 lots of fly eggs. Last year I had lots of flies in the house and it was awful. Didn’t know where they came from. Deep cleaned the whole house, didn’t leave food out. They had somehow gotten into the bit between the bin bucket and the bin bucket holder (which I never see).

Their house would have been infested by the time they got back.

My god where is it, I’ll come and clean it! No way could I leave it, maybe they ran out of time.
Either way I’d clean it and say nothing or drop a text to say there were flies around and you were worried about the cats. Flies will lay eggs, it won’t be pretty.

Fly strike is really not a risk unless the cat itself has an open festering wound or is covered in shit.

However in hot weather like this I would not be leaving a bin full of catfood tins/sachets to attract flies, because yuck and I'd be having to go in there each day so yucky for me.

With my friends I would wash up and send a message saying 'done your washing up you scruffy bastards, better bring me a pressie!' with a mock 'angry people in local papers' compo face/done a poo pointing pose photo.

But my friends would laugh at that and apologise.

I’d take the bin out, rinse the plates (leave them in the sink) and leave it at that. What grots! Wouldn’t be doing a favour for them again.

The cats aren’t going to get fly strike from being around flies generally - they go outside anyway.

Strange to leave their home, without emptying bins, washing up etc before a holiday. But I agree, I would empty bin, wash up, anti bad the worktops etc.

You would be washing the cats bowls anyway, so it won’t take much time and will be a more pleasant environment for you going in there to feed the cats and for the cats too.

I would tell them on their return too!

YANBU to clean up but they are very U for leaving it in that state. I'd clear away all the food mess and empty the bin and do the dishes like you said. But only for the cats' sake though, as they're likely to jump up onto the counter and eat something they shouldn't.

I'd do it. They may have messed up timing and left un a huge hurry.. not really an excuse but it happens.

I once had a text from neighbour asking me to feed her cats and the whole kitchen was besmattered with blood!! Surfaces, plates, hob, kitchen doors, sink.. it took me about an hour to clean ot all up.

It turned out she'd suddenly had a MASSIVE nosebleed and been admitted to hospital!!

The cats won't give a shit

Cats are clean animals and absolutely would give a shit if their living environment was filled with flies and maggots.

They might have fun trying to chase/eat the flies but knowing my three, they would also try and eat the disgusting food off the dishes in the sink and make themselves sick.

It's not nice to expect any animals to live like that. If you choose to have pets you have a duty to keep their living environment clean and sanitary. If you can't manage that, don't have animals.

Definitely do NOT text them while they are on holiday about their messy kitchen! It will just make them have a pang of shame and embarrassment. It's always a rush at the end before we leave to go on holiday and I never have time to do the things I want to do (although I always empty the bin).
Just do it. It's a nice thing to do.

A couple of jettles of boiling water over the dishes in the sink. Please don't make up a story about a mouse - that's totally unnecessary

“Definitely do NOT text them while they are on holiday about their messy kitchen! It will just make them have a pang of shame and embarrassment.”

^Er they should be shamed and embarrassed. They are disgusting for leaving the kitchen like that knowing full well OP will be going round to feed the cats. It is disgusting how people live.

I don’t think you are obliged to do anything but it’s very kind of you to want to! I personally think if you stick the bin out and wipe the surfaces that’s plenty - and if they take offence at that god help them, because they’re idiots and you won’t again.

Really lovely thing to do op. No matter what their shame might say on return I bet the relief of not coming home to that will be in their hearts.truly I do.
I'd just make sure you talk to them as soon as and NOT to do with it.act really overly normal.no biggy your just same old neighbours.if you can feel it in the room or she says something then again.really overly breezy normal just pshct and explain what u did here in you opening post.say it as level as possible.
Maybe even say I did it once and it weighed on me all bloody holiday what I was coming home to so I was glad to try ease that for you.

Btw is this unusual for them.or do they live like this.that make make the difference!

I would do the minimum to make sure they don't come back to it worse than they left it, so as you've done I would empty the bin (and bin any obvious rubbish out on the worktops) and put a new bag in (assuming they're in an obvious place (I'd use my own rather than rummage) I'd wash the dishes and leave them to drain so you can get to the sink and so they don't come back to mould and flies.

I'd also sweep up any cat litter and wipe down the worktop I used for putting out cat food.

In the unlikely event they complain, you needed to use the sink and the bin and there were flies and so it was unpleasant, you did it for you own comfort and convenience.

I'm no domestic goddess but I'd assume they left in a hurry because washing dishes and emptying the bin are basic jobs before you leave for a holiday even if no one is coming in while you're away, it would be bothering me.

Yep, there's nothing better than getting home from holiday, jumping in the shower to get rid of all the travel grime and then getting into clean sheets, knowing that all I have to worry about is unpacking and laundry (and when packing to come home I try to pre-sort laundry so like stuff is together in the case so that I just have to open my case and grab a pile without having to sort through everything again)

I usually have a couple of frozen ready meals and leave a £5 and ask whichever cousin is housesitting to grab a loaf of bread and couple of pints of milk for the day I get back so that there's a couple of quick/easy meals in the house and I dint have to immediately go shopping.

I changed my neighbours bin whilst feeding their cat (it was overflowing and hot etc) and they never mentioned it but they also asked me to feed their cat again.

On the flip side my BIL fed our cat whilst we were away and didn't change the bin at all. It wasn't full but it did have a full two weeks worth of used cat pouches in it. The stench was eye watering.

• never asked me to feed their cat again.

@melj1213 my morning before leaving holiday consists of me running around frantically cleaning last minute and DP yelling at me to hurry up 😅 it’s just so much nicer returning to a lovely tidy house - helps with the post holiday blues. He doesn’t understand (obviously understands taking bins out etc, but I like it to be properly tidy)

Flies lay eggs in cat food dishes in no time and it can harm the cats.

Absolutely no chance would I clean up someone else's filth. They probably deliberately left it for you to do. Who goes on holiday and leaves their kitchen in a shit tip?

You realise they're animals right?

Yes. They'll happily drink out of muddy puddles, the state of their owners kitchen will not be at the forefront of things they worry their furry little heads about 😂